Pencil



Malflh 7, 1933. c. R. SHEAFFER Er AL 1,900,669

PENCIL Filed April 1, 1929 Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTlOFFICE CRAIG n. AND WILLIAM n. cufrniannfr, or FonT'MADIsoN, IoWA,ASSIGN- ons rro W. A. SHEAFIEB. PEN co.,'or roar MADISON, IOWA, AcomonA'r'IoN or DELAWARE Application med Aprii i,

This invention relates to a vpencil and has special reference to apencil having mechani'sm for propelling andrepelling a'lead into and outof writing position relative to the pencil barrel.

-More particularly, this vinvention relates to a pencil having atwo-part casing forenclosing a lead propelling and retractinL mechanism,a substantial' portion of the outer ends of the casing being tapered.The two arts of the casing meet 'substantially centrally of the lengthof the casing or a suiicientdistancefrom either end to afford a goodmanual grip on either of the two parts.

The ends of the pencil have been tapered to dispense with unnecessaryweight thereby relieving. the hand from .writing tension.

Also, the tapered' ends`move the center of -gravity with respect to thelocation thereof(` in the usual type square-end pencil so that a correctbalance is obtained whereby merely guidance of'the pencil is necessary,substan-4 tially minimizing the necessity for lsupport and eli'ort inwriting. It is obvious that atop heavy pencil necessitates weight tohold the pencil tothe paper with the result that the fingers arecramped. The present construction eliminates the latter objection.

One member of the two-part casing houses an 'anchoring block in a fixedrelation therewith, the other member being iXedly mounted on a portionof the propelling and repelling mechanism rotatably related withthefirst mentioned member of the casing and the anchoring blocli. Thetapers on the rotatably related member, in this instance the the casings ie pencil and the lead operating mechanism tliereoif.

rnNcII;

1929. Serial No. 351,502.

One of the objects ofthis invention is to provide a'pencil of the typeabove indicated which is distinctively beautiful and embodies a perfectbalance.

Another object of this invention is to pro-l vide a pencil of` thecharacter hereinbefore .mentioned Vhaving a two-part casing to`facilitate the'operation-of the mechanical features thereof.

,A still 'furtherobject of Vthis invention is to'provide a' pencil -ofthe type above referred to wherein substantial gripping surfaces arepresented between the operating part of the two-part casing .and theoperating mechanism of the pencil. i

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter be more particularlypointed out and for a more complete understanding of the nature, scope'and characteristics of this invention, reference may be had to thefollowing description when taken together with the accompanying drawing,in which latter:

Figure 1 is front elevational view of a pencil embodying the features ofthis invention. Fig. '2 vis an elevational view similar to' Figurel withone portion of the two-part casing removed from the operating mechanisinof the pencil.

Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal' section of the pencil with parts of themechanism in elevation.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the lines 4--41 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the pencil embodying theinvention is illustrated therein and 'comprises a twopart casingconsisting of theportions 10 and 11. The writing end or portion 10 ofthe casing terminates at one of its ends in the conical shape ortaperedportion 12. The

operating end portion lvl terminates at one of its ends in a taperedportion 13, the tapers thereo'f being preferably curvilinear when viewedin a longitudinal cross section. The two-part casing is preferablybuilt-up oi. an

inner lshell of metal and an outer shell of a i plastic composition,such for example as is known in the trade as Radite v The taperedportion l2 is provided with a metal tip 14 having an atrial opening 14alil@ of such contour and size in cross section as to permit the ordinarypencil lead crayon to have .a free reciprocal movementtherethrough. Thetip 14 is internally threaded for a portion adjacent the axial leadopening 14a to engage an externally threaded projecting end portion ofan anchoring block 15 which is disposed in the tapered end portion 12 ofthe casing in a fixed relation therewith.

The two-part casing or barrel forms a housing for the reception thereinof the pencil lead propelling and retracting mechanism, which is now tobe described briefly, it being submitted that this mechanism is clearlyshown and described in Patent Number 1,653,151, issued December 20, 1927and assigned to the assignee of this invention.

The mechanism for propelling and retracting the pencil lead comprisesthe anchoring block 15, which is preferably made of aluminum in orderthat the pencil be light in weight. The inner portion of the anchoringblock, like the main body of the pencil casing. is cylindrical andextends tor a short distance to terminate in a tapered or conical shapeto conform to the inside ofthe tapered or conical portion 12 ot thecasing 10. The inner end. of the block has a plurality ot kerfs 1G,which form yieldable or resilient portions of the material therebetweenwhich latter material normally spreads outwardly and yieldably engagesthe inner wall of the casing 10 thereby securing anchoring block 15therein.

The block 15 is provided with an inner bore to receive and rigidly holda screw sleeve 17, which latter is provided with a.

spirally extending slot 17a. Within the sleeve 17 is a lead socket 18for clutching the inner end of the stick of lead at the outer end of thesocket. A plunger 19 extends through the inner bore of the screw sleeve17 and the lead socket 18 terminating within the socket at the leadreceiving end and extending beyond the socket 18 at the other end of thelatter. The inner end of the socket 18 is provided with a radiallyextending finger 20, which engages the spiral ot the screw sleeve 17.The plunger 19 likewise has a radially extending arm 21l for engagingthe spiral of the screw sleeve 17. Between the screw sleeve and the leadsocket 18 is disposed a guide tube 22 having a longitudinally extendingslot 22a through which the finger 2O and arm 21 of the socket andplunger respectively extends. This guide tube 22 prevents rotation otthe plunger 19 and lead socket 18.

The screw sleeve 17 is rotatable with respect to the anchoring socket15. A rotation of the screw sleeve permits the finger 20 and the arm 21to ride in a longitudinal direction to propel or retract the pencil leadthrough the opening 14 in the tapered portion 12 ot the casing 10, theplunger 19 operating to eject the lead after the socket 18 has reachedthe limit oi' its forward movement.

rlhe screw lsleeve 17 is engaged by a rcduced end portion 233 of arotatable sleeve. 2l.. The rotatable sleeveI is provided at its end ofenlarged diameter with raised longitudinally extending portions 24a forproviding a frictional engagement between the operating end portion 11and the sleeve, it being particularly pointed out that the frictionalengagement extends over a substantial surface, substantially halt theoverall length ofthe pencil. The longitudinally extending raisedportions 24a. coact with longitudinally extending raised portions 247/ot the inner metallic sleeve ot the operating end portion 11 'forpreventing relative axial movement between the operating end portion andthe rotatable sleeve 24. A disk 25 is disposed within the sleeve 24 atthe junction between the enlarged and reduced end portions thereof 'toprovide a bottom for a lead well. The eraser 2G provides the top to thewell.

It has been recited that the anchoring block 15 is held in a fixedrelation with the writing end casing portion 1() and thatv tbc operatingend portion 11 is trictionally mounted on the sleeve 2l, which latteris' lixcdly engaged with the screw sleeve 17. The screw sleeve 17 is.yin turn. rotatable in the enlarged bore ot the anchoring block 15 andthe guide tube 22, about which the screw sleeve 17 rotates. is held in afixed relation with the anchoring block 15. 'l`heretorc. when theoperating end portion 11 is rotated in one direction the spiral grooveof the screw sleeve 17 moves the plunger 1S) and lead socket 1S in alongitudinal direction to force the lead outwardly of the casing or toretract the lead inwardly into the casing.

It will further be noted that the writing end portion and the operatingend portion of the two-part casing meet substantially centrally of thelength ofthe barrel or they may meet a substantial distance from' eitherend to afford a good manual grip upon each of the two portions.Heretofore pencils have` been made with operating end portions ot a bellshape or some similar shape. which provides a head that is preferablyknurled for affording a good grip surface. In eliminating this headportion and providing a ytapered end portion to effect a correctbalance` inventive genius has been employed in devising a means forsecuring a substantial gripping surface, whereby to operate the portionsot the casing when it is necessary lo make an erasure, to remove thelead troni the lead-well in the upper end of the easing. or to operatethe propelling and reti-acting mechanism when necessary.

lVhile but a single embodiment of thisl invention is herein shown anddescribed. it is to be understood that various modilicatiointhereof maybe apparent to those skilled in the art'witliout departing from thespirit and scope of this invention and therefore the. same is to belimited only by the scope of the prior art and the appendedclaims.

We claim;

1. A pencil comprising a two-part casing and a lead operating mechanismhoused therein, said mechanism comprising relatively movable portions,one of said portions including an anchoring block fixed in one of saidparts and the other o said portions including an elongated stemextending a substantial distance beyond said last mentioned part andlongitudinally slidable but frictionally held against rotation in theother of said parts over the entire extending area' thereof, said partsmeeting substantially centrally of the overall length of said pencil.

2. A pencil comprising a two-part casin and a lead operating mechanismhouse therein, said mechanism comprising relatively movable portions,one of saidportions incliiding an anchoring block fixed in one of saidparts and the other of said portions including a tubular memberextending a substantial distance beyond said last' mentioned part forhousing auxiliary leads and an eraser, the'otlier of said part-senveloping and frictionally enga ing the outer. surface of said tubularmem ing area thereof, said parts meeting substantially centrally of theoverall length of said pencil.

3. A pencil comprising a two-part casing and a lead operating mechanismhoused therein, said mechanism comprising relative- 1y movableportions,- one of said portions including an-anchorin block fixed in oneof said parts' and the ot er of said portions including a tubularportionextending a substantial distance' beyond saidlast mentioned part andhaving a partition on the inside thereof at a spaced distance from theend and an eraser for closing the "outer end forming a compartment forauxiliary leads, the other of said parts enveloping and frictionallyengaging the outer surface oftsaid tubular portion over the entireextending surface thereof, said parts meetin substantially centrally ofthe overall length of said pencil.

4. A pencil comprising a two-part casing and a lead operating mechanismhoused therein, said mechanism comprising relatively movable portions,one ofl said including an anchorin block tix one of said parts and theot 'er of said tions including an elongated stem extending into theother of said parte substantially the entire length thereof and beingslidable but frictionall .held over the entire extending area thereoagainst rotation therein, said parts meeting substantially centrally ofthe overall length of said pencil.

5. A pencil comprising a two-part. casing anda lead operating mechanismhousedv r over the entire extendtherein, said mechanism comprisingrelativei ly movable portions, one of 'said portions including ananchoring block iixed in one of said parts and the other of saidportions including an elongated stem extendin into the other of saidparts substantially te entire length thereof, said elongated stem andsaid last mentioned part having complementary longitudinally extendingraised portions over substantially the entire areas thereof forpreventin relative axial movement therebetween alt ough permittingslidable longitudinal movement, said parts of said casing meetingsubstantially centrally of the overall length of said encil. l

In witness w ereof, We scribed our names.

CRAIG R. SHEAF FER. WILLIAM R. CUTHBERT.

have hereunto sub-

